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Interview Tips
Job Interview Tips to Help You
Category : Interview Tips
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 Practical Job Interview Tips

Know your resume
Your resume is the basis upon which the interviewer will ask you questions. Be thoroughly familiar with the contents. It is your resume; you cannot afford to do not know it.

Dress for success
Judge from the position you are interviewing for and find out the dress code of the organization. Groom yourself appropriately.

Organize your documents
Get yourself organized with the many documents that you take to the interview. Put them either by function or in chronological order and know exactly where to retrieve a particular document out of the many.

Arrive early
Know exactly where the interview takes place and find out how to get there. Take note of how what time in the day, what day in the week may impact the traffic condition. Leave ample time for traveling.

Know what the job, why you want the job is
Most of interview questions are asked around the job itself. Identify your wants and your needs-and know the difference!

Reassure yourself of your strength
Be able to articulate the marketable skills and value you have to offer the organization.

Verify your references
Line up your references in advance and select the ones who can represent to your advantage.

Equip yourself
Take with you the necessary documents, extra copies of resumes and reference letters, note pads and stationery.

Anticipate ahead of time
Wear the hat of the interviewer and think what kind of questions you will be asked. This includes personal topic that are not directly relevant to the job. Be prepared to handle them tactfully.

Rehearse at least once
Talking to yourself or speaking `silently` in your head is not enough. Practice the interview with someone. It makes a difference.

Rest well
Sleep well the night before the interview. You will need it.

During the Interview

Be yourself Smile
Do not try to be someone else, lie or exaggerate. If you don`t know an answer, just say so politely. Do not risk giving a wrong answer.

Pronounce the name right
Make sure you know how to say the name of the interviewer and that of the company correctly.

Display confidence and sincerity
Carry a positive attitude and be confident about yourself. A firm handshake, direct eye contact, a friendly smile, all help.

Demonstrate loyalty to your former employers

Never say anything negative or against the interest of your former employer.

Take your time
Do not rush yourself in answering questions. Take some time to formulate you answer before you speak.

Respect your interviewer(s)
Do not answer before the interviewer finishes his question. If you are interviewed by a panel, address all of them, not just the person who leads or asks most of the questions.

Substantiate your answers with experience
Avoid answering with "yes" or "no" even if you are asked Yes/No questions, elaborate and answer to the point. Where appropriate, quote your experience. Stress the major achievement and do not load your interviewer with details. After the Interview * Take note While memory is still fresh, recall from the interview lessons learnt for future reference.

Keep focus
Turn off your mobile phone or pager. It is a gesture of courtesy and it allows you to concentrate in the interview.

 After the Interview


Take note
While memory is still fresh, recall from the interview lessons learnt for future reference

My Questions to the Interviewer

An interview is a two-way communication! Get yourself prepared not only to answer your interviewer`s questions, take the opportunity to find out more about the job and the company. Some interviewers test your sincerity by asking if you have any questions. Be prepared with a list of questions handy! Here are some suggestions:

Research! Research! Research!
As a preparation for the interview, you should research about the company, and, if possible, your interviewer and develop from there some relevant and intelligent questions. This shows that you do care enough that you spend time learning about the company. Rehearse the answers to these questions once and see if your questions generate other questions and prepare yourself accordingly.

Only ask questions that you cannot find answers yourself. For example, "I learn from the research that xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx. How would that impact the department I am working for." This is the part personnel consultant can provide great help.

Replacing someone?
If you know you are replacing someone, you may want to ask what is the biggest challenge faced by the person you are replacing.

Salary - Leave it till later!
In general, it is not wise to touch on salary or benefits at this stage. This gives your interviewer an impression that your are more interested in what the company can do for you; versus how you can contribute to the company. However, it is fair to ask about opportunities for advancement, training programs.

"Sorry, I do not quite catch some part of your question..."
Throughout the interview, feel free to ask questions or rephrase for clarification if you do not understand your interviewer, for example, on jargon or acronyms. Do not assume or pretend. However, be sensitive and attentive in listening so that you do not ask the interviewer to repeat the questions too many times.

The Power of Body Language in An Interview

In any personal interaction, non verbal cues are equally, if not more important than verbal ones. Following are some tips to exploit body language to demonstrate professionalism and performance.

It is prudent to arrive early! How then would you spend the time when waiting for the interviewer? It is too late to review notes any way, instead, glance through any literature that you find in the waiting area. This portrays that you are confident even in occasions as such.

Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake to demonstrate that you are not nervous.

If you are not invited to sit, take the initiative to sit across from or alongside the interviewer. Do not ask if you should sit.

Allow a reasonable space of at least 1m (one meter) between yourself and the interviewer, providing a comfortable social zone to both.

Seat yourself in a relaxed, balanced posture. Hold your body upright without being stiff. Avoid distracting gestures or making too many hand gestures. If the interview is interrupted by a phone call, occupy yourself with reading your own material. This is a gesture of your being considerate in sense of privacy. Do not appear annoyed. There is no need to offer to leave the office.

 Keep eye contact and lean forward when emphasizing important messages to project sincerity. Looking away or looking down, leaning back signal that you are not confident of what you are telling. However, do not overdo eye contact. A look in the eye for more than 10 seconds can cause anxiety and tension.

Beware not to excessively clear the throat, use mannerisms such as `hmmm`, `uh`, `eh` - they tend to be distracting.

Change your facial expressions to match the message - smile at the appropriate times signifies friendliness, good eye contact conveys frankness.

Pay attention and listen actively to your interviewer. Fiddle with things exposes that you are either impatient or feeling tense.

Be polite to everyone you meet. They all count. Do not act overly casual, no chewing gum, no smoking. Thank your interviewer with the same warmth you begin the interview, a firm handshake, a sincere smile.

Be sensitive to your interviewer`s expression too! Yet don`t be oversensitive and imagine hidden meanings in gestures.

Interviewers who do not maintain eye contact hint that they are disinterested, irritated or in time to end the interview.

Interviewers who frown may be expressing disbelief in what you are telling.

Clutched arms or running their fingers along their noses may mean disagreeing with you.

Finger drumming and other fidgeting mannerisms project an impression that the interviewer is not paying attention.